Identifying Triggers

<font color=red>Identifying Triggers-</font color=red>An Article By: Gayle Crabtree

Quote:
<font color=blue>As survivors we are all aware of the intrusive presence of flashbacks in our lives. These “fight or flight” adrenaline laced episodes that have our minds seemingly reliving an attack are annoysome at best, life stopping at most. For the millions of survivors with facing these “ignition switches” the results can be devastating. However, they can be lessened or controlled and you can enjoy your life again relatively free from thier effects.

The first thing we need to do is to identify the triggers so we can learn where they come from and why. Once we can identify these triggers they lose thier power over us allowing us more ability to heal. We can then choose to control our response to the trigger. Sometimes, simply naming the trigger is enough to allow it’s hold to be relased in our lives.

As we begin working on this please remember that triggers in and of themselves cannot harm us. We do not physically relive the attack when we have a flashback. It is just that our mind believes for that split second that an act of violence is happening all over again. In reality, we are safe.
Once we realize we are safe we can begin deep breathing or other grounding exercises which will release the building tension of the flashback but we’ll get to handling a flashback later.

Looking for triggers.
This really isn’t as hard as it might seem.

At this point I would encourage you to pick up a small book or notepad to carry with you.
My favorite is a small spiral bound book with enough space between the wires to place a pen or pencil. Any book you like will do.

Take a moment and write down anything you feel has gotten to you in the past. Don’t try to second guess your writing, even if it seems silly leave it written down, don’t worry about grammar, spelling or writing in complete sentences. Unless you decide to share this book with someone you trust it is for your eyes only.

In this way, you are beginning to keep a trigger journal to help you identify what brings on those flashbacks or panic episodes. Put the journal in a convenient place to carry with you. Whenever you feel yourself beginning to react take a break to step away from the situation
and go write it down.

There is usually a restroom or quiet area you can go to for a minute. You can even retreat to your car for something you “forgot”. If you have to wait, that’s all right just realize what is happening and promise yourself to write it down later. Then do so!

This will give you a clearer picture of what’s going on. Maybe it was the atmosphere in a room? Does it feel oppressive? Figure out why and write it down. Does someone seem intimidating? Try to glean what might be trying to trigger you. Maybe it’s the stance of the person, clothes or jewelry? Write it down. Some things may seem silly or out of place when you write it down. That’s ok. Keep writing.

Over time, this will give you a clearer picture of what does - or doesn’t - trigger a flashback. The time frame will vary from person to person. Somethings will immediately become clear while other patterns will take a while. (It took me months to realize that a cold room at night acted like a very powerful trigger but only about a minute by myself at the mall to provoke those out of control feelings! )

Be prepared to allow yourself the time to work on this that you need. Triggers are varied. Identifying them all will take months but it won’t take that long to reap the benefits of discovering the triggers and exposing them. </font color=blue>



Hope For Healing Website:

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>http://www.hopeforhealing.org/
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<font color=red>~</font color=red><font color=blue>S</font color=blue><font color=green>u</font color=green><font color=blue>n</font color=blue><font color=green>d</font color=green><font color=blue>a</font color=blue><font color=green>n</font color=green><font color=blue>c</font color=blue><font color=green>e</font color=green><font color=red>~</font color=red>

<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

Sundance you post so much helpful information, I wouldn't dream of discouraging you... and hope you understand my saying this:

So much of what I read sounds like it's right out of a book by someone who HAS NO IDEA what they are talking about, but spouting what they were taught.

With that said, let me repeat that what you post helps so many, so don't stop.

With regards to this particular post, well, it glosses over a really deep subject. (I realize it's just an article, but still...) That it's stated that we aren't PHYSICALLY experiencing the event again needs to be stressed but at the same time doesn't do a whip for those who are in the midst of a true flash back. Our minds don't know at the time that it isn't real.

And, it isn't for "that split second" for time is a misnomer during this oddity.

While I'm at it, let me add that one might not have any idea what the trigger is. What you might want to write in the notebook is what you can recall from right before ... what were you thinking, talking about, hearing on the radio, walking or driving past, or who passed you or what they said or was there someone with perfume or such. They might not be the actual trigger, but might lead you to it, later on.

And, IMHO, working on finding triggers can become troublesome in itself, and it's useful to do so with your T.

Sorry. I just tired from reading my old shallow college books all over again.

<font color=blue> meditation is a true way to connect to the Source </font color=blue>

You are right Skybark. You wont always know what the exact trigger may be cause all trigger can be different from the next.

What you said makes perfect sense and I agree with you.

Some people don't know why something tiggered them. That is what it was like for me, i'd get triggered then confusion would set in because I'd ask myself "why was that a trigger?" Sometimes I wouldn't understand it, other times it makes perfect sense.

I have a certain way that I write down triggers.. I do something like this:

What was I doing?
What the trigger was..
What was I thinking while this occured
etc. I wrote this down I think when I had a trigger, and I wrote what I brought into my psychiatrist... about a city triggering me because of my ex....

I question myself, figure out where I was when it happened, why I think it happened , what the trigger was, and what I did about it. If I do that whenever I have one even if it's not related to my trauma it all pretty much comes together like a puzzle....

<font color=red>~</font color=red><font color=blue>S</font color=blue><font color=green>u</font color=green><font color=blue>n</font color=blue><font color=green>d</font color=green><font color=blue>a</font color=blue><font color=green>n</font color=green><font color=blue>c</font color=blue><font color=green>e</font color=green><font color=red>~</font color=red>

<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

yeah... and it took me over ten years just to get to the point of realizing I had just HAD a flashback... it was more wow where did the time go or what am I doing this for? So, sometimes it seems there's nothing to work "with".

Often there are many many triggers... and one can be feeling "constantly triggered" which is not only exhausting, it also adds to confusion in trying to track them down.

No one should think that there is only one trigger for one event. Nah, there could be several different triggers for one part of an event. And if there are compounding events, some of the triggers might be "shared" or not... and there might be a whole new list for the non-abusive but similar traumatic event that then becomes triggering.

It just ain't easy, this PTSD. And this is just one part of it all.

<font color=blue> meditation is a true way to connect to the Source </font color=blue>

It took me a long time to realize my body memories were flashbacks.. I knew that I didn't feel right certain times but I didn't know that was what it was, a flashback either until I really started to open myself up and talk to my psychiatrist about it. The she reccomended me to read the Body Remebers that is about body memory, triggers, etc... and that helped me to understand it and by reading that and trauma and recovery I could relate to it. At least now there was a name to what I was feeling.

I agree, the chances of only getting one trigger when dealing with a trauma is rare, there's almost always a few that cause the triggers if not a whole bunch of stuff.

I think that abuse related traumas and say a car accident trauma and PTSD people do get differnt triggers. A trigger for me when I Was in a car accident was that I would panic everytime I Went throught that intersection.. I'd close my eyes or I could get through that happened for about a month or so, and was terrible. I didn't think the accident affected me like that.

Triggers from the abuse for me was the word rape because I was threatened by it many times, and had to submit to it because I was so scared of him... and another major trigger for me was grabbing the back of my neck or just squeezing it because he always use to do that to me when he was angry.

Different things like that.

Still not fun...

I'm glad that i'm not suffering from my ptsd anyone, 8 years of it, now I have a freedom.

I'm still weary of others, but that is a postive thing to be aware because I know which people 'aren't all there' and can stay clear of them.

I still get triggers from time to time, I probably always will but now they aren't as scary as they use to be.
I just got to remind myself hat i'm ok, that i'm safe....

<font color=red>~</font color=red><font color=blue>S</font color=blue><font color=green>u</font color=green><font color=blue>n</font color=blue><font color=green>d</font color=green><font color=blue>a</font color=blue><font color=green>n</font color=green><font color=blue>c</font color=blue><font color=green>e</font color=green><font color=red>~</font color=red>

<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

Sundance,

I was the same way... I had no idea that my body memories were body memories... I thought I was just "perverted" for having these sensations and feelings. The gradual realization that they were memories of things that had happened, and that they were associated with present day triggers but an amazing, liberating, realization.

I think "The Body Remembers" is a fantastic book. It was very helpful to me.

M

I have not read all of the book the body remembers, I don't want to finish reading it because I don't want my PTSD to come back, sounds lame doesn't it?

I was having daydreams even before the abuse happened, I don't know why, but I guess my greatest fear was being attacks, abused etc, and it happened.

I never realized either that what I was going through was a form of a flashback, I didn't know that flashbacks are also body memories I just assumed that a flashback had to play like a movie or something.

I still get body memories from time to time but they are less and it doesn't occur much anymore, same with triggers. But I'll likely always get them, but as long as I remind myself where I am and that i'm not with or around those people anymore I should be fine.

<font color=red>~</font color=red><font color=blue>S</font color=blue><font color=green>u</font color=green><font color=blue>n</font color=blue><font color=green>d</font color=green><font color=blue>a</font color=blue><font color=green>n</font color=green><font color=blue>c</font color=blue><font color=green>e</font color=green><font color=red>~</font color=red>

<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

I think I have come to the semi firm (lol) conclusion that fb's are to managed, rather than to be "gotten rid of".

However, the better I "manage" them and ground myself... the less they happen. But I don't really think I will ever be completely free of them. I think they will always be a possibility, but that makes sense, given that the trauma was a huge part of my life.

I think it makes sense and shows very good self care not to read the rest of the book. I completely understand about it might bring back symptoms. I have myself bought books and by the time I get home or they are delivered I can't bring myself to read them. I like knowing I have the resource available, if necessary, but I don't want to get into it. Sometimes I feel silly about it, but mostly I think I being responsible and helping keeping myself safe by having limits and listening to myself.

M

I think that I am the same way. I will likely always live with triggers having PTSD or not, I'm hoping that my PTSD doesn't come back, I love that it's gone.

I think it's something alot of us likely will have to deal with forever, I hope that one day they will go away, but I don't think so.

The trauma was a big part my life as well considering it took me a very long time to open up and talk about it, a couple years even then I was always belittleing it saying that it wasn't that bad, but it was because it affected me badly and so forth. It didn't help that after the ex there were people harrassing me, and assaulting me for years after the fact 9 people all together like I said from 1996-2001... Thank god I found the guy i'm with now, since then people hurting me has stopped, hope it stays that way.

I have gotten triggers with my now BF of 3 years, but my psychiatrist just told me to remind myself where I am, who i'm with. She also told me for one specific trigger to keep letting my BF touching me on the back of the neck so the trigger will be no more. I haven't done that yet, but it is better. That was a major trigger for me aways because my ex always use to grab the back of my neck when he was angry and so forth...

Not a fun feeling.

<font color=red>~</font color=red><font color=blue>S</font color=blue><font color=green>u</font color=green><font color=blue>n</font color=blue><font color=green>d</font color=green><font color=blue>a</font color=blue><font color=green>n</font color=green><font color=blue>c</font color=blue><font color=green>e</font color=green><font color=red>~</font color=red>

<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>